CO129-517-1 Administration and function of Chinese Maritime customs- prevention of smuggling across Chinese frontiers 7-2-1929 - 15-11-1929 — Page 170

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"river shall be opened to trade."

The above article foreshadowed the definite appoint-

ment by the Chinese Government of an Inspector General of

Customs and Mr. Lay, the senior official, was selected.

Owing, however, to his high-handed and semi-independent

attitude towards the Chinese Government, his employers,

was "permitted to resign" within a short period of time,

and Kr. (afterwards Sir) Robert Hart was appointed Inspector

General of Customs in his stead.

he

During the early days of the Maritime Customs, and

up to the year 1906, the Chinese Foreign Office controlled

the Inspectorate of Customs, but in that year (1906) a

separate "Board of Customs", under the Board of Finance,

was established, and the administration of the Customs

establishment (with the Marine Department and the Postal

Administration) was thus transferred from the Chinese

Foreign Office to the Board of Finance. In 1911 this

principle was extended, and the Postal Administration

was separated from the Customs establishment, removed

from the control of the Board of Finance (and the Inspectorate

of Customs), and placed directly under the control of the

Board of Communications. In other words, the control of

the Postal Service was taken out of the hands of the

Inspector General and placed in other hands independently

of him. It should be explained here that in the early

sixties of the last century, Mr. Hart recommended the

Chinese Government to authorise him to light and mark the

coast of China, and this invaluable work, which was of

great International importance, was successfully performed

under.

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